Piano-truck.



N0. 734,076. PATBNTED JULY 21, 1903.

A. LOEB.

PIANO TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. so, 1901'. :10 MODEL; z snms-snnm 1.

No. 734,076. PATENTED JULY 21,1903.

' A. LOBB.

PIANO TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30, 1901.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHBETSSHEET 2.

il 1 ll MUM W m W vation of one of such dogs.

No. more. i

UNITED Fatented July 19653.

@FrroE.

ADAM LOEB, or PORTLAND, OREGON.

PIANO-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,076, dated July 21, 1903.

Application filed December 30, 1901. Serial No. 87,811. N model-l To all whom it rnrty concern:

Be it known that I, ADAM LOEB, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Piano-Trucks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings as a partthereof.

My invention relates to what is known as a piano-truck, being acontrivance for moving pianos and like objects into and out of dwelling-houses; and it has for its object certain improvements and features which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and are designed to render such contrivance more practical and more convenient to use for the purpose intended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved truck. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the front end of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the case or housingh for the dogs 2' i. Fig. 4: is a perspective eletion on the line a: x of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the disk "It, said Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 showing the means provided for adjustably holding the standardp. Fig. 7 is a plan section of the rear portion of the truck; Fig. 8, a longitudinal section of the rear portion of my truck on a line 00 w of Fig. 7, the rod 6 and its cooperating device, however, being shown in end view. Fig. 9 is a detail of the rod 6 and its cooperative devices, said Figs.

7-, .8, and 9 showing the means provided for adjustably holding the standard 19; and Fig.

10 is a cross-section on the line of'Fi 2.

The letters and numerals designate the parts referred to.

The body of my truck is made of boards a b, between which are. secured blocks a c c 0 so as to provide thespace for the devices adj ustably holding the rear standard 19, and in the front end of the truck is secured an upright board d, to which are secured the devices for adjustably holding the forward standard 19. The forward'standard consists of a rod p, the middle portion of which is inserted in the cavity therefor provided in the block 0 On the extremities of such rod are provided eyes in which to receive the ends Fig. 5 is a sec of the axle p of I the wheels 19 The wheels are held in place by means of spring-keys.

In the case it are pivoted the dogs 1111. Such' case consists of a base-plate having screw-holes h and projecting wall portions h on which to secure the cover h. head ends of such dogs are adapted to engage the notches j of the bar j, such bars sliding vertically through the case h. The

heads of said dogs are also provided with stud-pins z' which project through the slots 10 10* of the disk 12, rotatably secured on the exterior of the cover It.

Z is a bar having projecting portions at its extremities (see Fig. 5) which provide a stop for the cross-bar 9' in the head end of the barj and limit the extreme downward motion of such bar. The bar Z is secured in place by means of bolts Z 1*, and on the bolt l is also-secured a lever m, the left extremity of which has aslotted portion m, in which to receive that portion of the stud-pin 91 projecting from the exterior of the rotatable disk at. The disk n controls the positions of the dogs 1' that is to say, keeping them in engagement with the notches of the bar j or vdisk n is rotated in the direction ofthe arrow seen in Fig. 6 against the tension of the spring 0, with the efiect of spreading the dogs vi t" apart, so as to be able to move the barj, as mentioned, and as soon as the lever m is released again the disk n, by the action of the spring 0, will be returned to its normal position and the dogs be ready to engage oppositely-disposed notches of the bar j.

The bottom end of the barj is formed into an eye j, in which to receive the stirrup 5, having eyes at its extremities through which is inserted theaxle p The straps g g strengthen the forward end of the truck and furnish an additional support for the headboard d; Such straps are respectively provided with ears 9 in which is inserted a handle-bar 1". By taking hold 'of the handle-bar and operating the lever m The to release the barj the standard 1) may be adjusted to any desired position. The head end of the board 61 is provided with a crosspiece e for strength and also with a pair of rollers or casters f. When the truck is to be stood on an end, the standards p are adjusted forward, and the head end of the truck will then rest on the wheels 19 and casters f.

11 represents a pair of angular braces for the board (I.

k is an auxiliary handle for lifting the front end of the truck.

The rear standard 19 in construction represents the forward standard 1), and it holds in its extremities the axle of the wheels 19 The middle portion of the standard 13 is inserted in a movable block q. (See Fig. 7.) The longitudinal adjustment of the block q is accomplished by the rod u, one end of which is threaded and inserted in the plate y, having a threaded perforation, and such plate is secured in a cavity therefor provided in the block (1 by means of bolts 5. The fixed block 0 is provided with a plate 12, which is let into the end of the block and secured in place by means of bolts to. The rod to is provided with a fixed collar a and to save wear of the block 3 the rod uis also provided with a washer 163. The extremity u of the rod to is squared, so as to receive a key. By manipulating the rod u the block q can be moved longitudinally to effect the adjustment of the standard 19 to the requirements and conditions of any particular stairway or hall of a dwelling-house or otherwise. The extremities of the standard 19 are further adjusted and held in place by means of a pair of arms q, the upper ends of which arms have eyes inserted on the ends of the rod 6, and the lower ends of the arms have eyes inserted on the axle within the extremities of the standard p. The rod 6 is provided with a pair of cams S 8 and an arm 5, rotatably inserted on the rod 6, and to such arm is secured the middle portion of a coil-spring 7, the ends of which spring engage the extremities of said cams 8 8. The sides of the truck-body are provided with rack-bars 9, and the rod 6 is normally held in place by the action of the spring-controlled cams in a pair of oppositelydisposed recesses of such rack-bars. The extremities 6 of the rod 6 are squared, so as to receive a key by which to turn the rod 6 against the spring 7 and rotate the cams, so as to clear the rod 6 from its engagementwith the rackbars 9 and allow such bar 6 and therewith the arms q q to be adjusted to any desired place required for the proper positioning of the standard 1). When the truck is resting on what are called dead wheels-that is to say, so that neither the forward nor the rear wheels touch the floor-in that case the barj is lifted, so as to bring the wheels 19 over in front, and the standardp of the rear Wheels is thrown back under the projecting rear portion of the board a, and the standard 1) is then held in place by means of the hook-head 2 of the bolt 15, controlled by a coil-spring 3, catching the axle of the rear wheels. It will be seen that the bolt 15 is longitudinally adjusted with the adjustment of the block q.

t is a sleeve inserted between the extremities of the arms g on the axle of the wheelsp To hold the lower end of the barj against the thrust of the stirrups, the face of the upright board 01 has a vertical groove 14 and two plates 12 12, furnishing guides for a headed stud-pin 13, projecting from the rear side of the barj, this feature being clearlyillustrated in Fig. 10.

Having fully described my invention, now what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a piano-truck comprising a body and pivoted wheel-standards,the mechanism holding the front wheel-standard in adjustable position and com prising, in combination, a slidably-secu red barj, having notchesj; pi voted dogs 1' i, the heads of which are adapted to enter the notches j; stud-pins '9, on the heads of such dogs; pivoted disk '12, having slots 10, 10 in which the stud-pins i areinserted; a spring controlling the disk n; means for rotating the disk, to spread the free ends of the dogs, 1' i, apart and thereby release the barj; and means limiting the drop of the bar j, when released, substantially as described.

2. In a piano-truck, in combination with a body consisting of boards a, b, and intermediate blocks, a movable block q; pivoted standard 13; wheel-axle p journaled in the extremities of said standard 13; a bail or arm q, on said axle, provided with eyes in its extremities; rack-bars 9, on the two sides of the rear portion of the truck-body, a. rod 6 inserted in the eyes of the bail q, means movably holding said rod 6 in the notches of the bars 9 in which it is inserted, means for longitudinally moving the block q, and means for securing the axle 10 when thrown rearwardly, substantially as described.

3. In a piano-truck, in combination witha body consisting of boards a, b, and intermediate blocks, a movable block q; pivoted standard p; wheel-axle p journaled in the extremities of said standard 17; a bail or arm q, on said axle, provided with eyes in its extremities; rack-bars 9, on the two sides of the rear portion of the truck-body, a rod 6 inserted in the eyes of the bail q, fixed cams 8, 8, and a movable arm 5 on the rod 6, a

coil-spring 7, operating to hold the rod 6 in the notches of the bars 9, in which it has been inserted, the ends of the rod 6, being adapted to receive a key for the purpose of moving the rod from one set of notches to another, and means for longitudinally moving the block (1', comprising a rod, or screw-bolt u, a bearing thereforin the fixed block a, and a plate y, secured in the block q, in which the threaded end of the bolt u, is inserted, substantially as described.

4. A piano-truck consisting of a body made of boards a, b, and intermediate blocks, up-

IIO

right d; casters on the head end of said upright, standard 19 pivoted in the fixed block axle, p journaled in the extremities of said standard p, wheels on the ends of such axle; bail s, on the axle p slidably-secured bar j, having notches j',which bar is connected to the bails; mechanism holding the bar j, in its adjusted position, and comprising pivoted dogs 1;, 2",the heads of which are adapted to enter the notches j, stud-pins 2' on such heads, disk n, having slots 10 in which the stud-pins d of the dogs, '11 1 are inserted, a spring controlling said disk, means for rotating the disk, to spread the free ends of the dogs 1' t" apart, and thereby release the bar j, and means limiting the drop of the barj,when released; the movable block q; pivoted standard p; axle p journaled in the extremities and of said standard 19, wheels on the ends of such axle; a bail or arm, g, on the axle 1), provided with eyes in its extremities; rackbars 9, on the two sides of the rear portion; of the truck-body a rod 6, inserted in the eyes of the bail q, means movably holding said rod 6, in the notches of the bars 9, in which it is inserted; means for longitudinally moving the block q; and the spring-controlledbolt 15, having a hook-head 2, for holding the axle p in lifted position, substantially as described.

5. A piano-truck consisting of a body/made of boards a, b, and intermediate blocks; up-

right 01; casters on the head end of said upright; standard 10 pivoted in the fixed block 0 axle, p journaled in the extremities of said standard 1), wheels on the ends of such axle; bail s, on the axle p slidably-secured bar j, having notches j, which bar is con-, nected to the bail s; mechanism holding the bar j, in its adjusted position, and comprising pivoted dogs t', i, the heads of which are adapted to enter the notches j, stud-pins 2', on such heads; disk at, having slots 10 10, in which the stud-pins 71 0f the dogs 11 i, are inserted; a spring controlling said disk, means for rotating thedisk, to spread the free ends of the dogs 6, 21, apart, and thereby release the bar j, and means limiting the drop of the bar when released; the movable block q; pivoted standard 17; axle p journaled in the extremities of said standard 19', wheels on the ends of such axle; a bail or arm, g, on

the axle 19 provided with eyes in its extremities; rack-bars 9, on the two sides of the rear portion of the truck-body, a rod 6 inserted in the eyes of the bail q; fixed cams8, 8 and a movable arm 5 on the rod 6; a coil-spring 7, operating to hold the rod 6, in the notches of the bars 9, in which it has been inserted, the ends of the rod 6, being adapted to receive a key, for the purpose of moving the rod from one set of notches to another; means for longitudinally movingthe block q, comprising a rod or screw-bolt, u, a bearing therefor in the fixed block 0, and a plate y, secured in the movable block q having a threaded perforation in which is inserted the end of the screw-bolt u; and the spring-controlled bolt 15, having a hook-head 2, for holding the axle p in lifted position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 18th day of December, 1901.

' ADAM LOEB.

Witnesses:

T. J. GEISLER, E. M. HOWATSON. 

